Leeds United boss happy with Wycombe run out

Tony Harber

Leeds United boss Steve Evans was happy with the run out against Wycombe Wanderers in which he took the chance to have a good look at many of the fringe players in his first team squad.

The friendly saw Evans give starts to Tommaso Bianchi in midfield, Lee Erwin and Souleymane Doukara up front and Will Buckley and Jordan Botaka on the wings.

It was Erwin who put Leeds ahead in the first half while another player who has not featured in the first team recently, Sam Byram, scored early in the second half as United went on to win 2-0.

Head coach Evans thought it was a worthwhile exercise.

He said: “We were a bit scrappy at times, there were a lot of players who haven’t played a lot of game time with each other.

“We asked for certain characteristics, like for the back five to make sure that we don’t concede a goal at any stage in the game. That was to be the case.

“I wanted my front two to work extremely hard, which I think they did. Lee Erwin got a goal, which is great, and he was perhaps unlucky not to get a second.

“Then we had their young goalkeeper making absolutely super saves – about five or six in a 10 minute spell.

“Did we do enough in the final third? I’m not so sure. But that’s not just the strikers.

“I remember Casper missing a chance, Doukara missing a chance, Jordan should have done better as well with one of his chances.

“Overall, we’re pleased that we were able to get 90 minutes into some players that badly needed it.

“Plus we were able to get more minutes into the likes of Bellusci and big Sol. We were able to look after people like Berardi and it was good to get Sam Byram back on the pitch.

“Scott Wootton got another 90 minutes and acquitted himself at left-back – there aren’t many times he’ll have played there.

“We’re pleased. It was a fantastic following from the Leeds United following once again and we hope they enjoyed it.”

Wycombe made a lively start and put the ball in the back of the net three minutes in, but Max Kretzschmar’s effort was ruled out for offside after keeper Marco Silvestri had parried a shot to the home player.

Leeds slowly got into the game with Botaka forcing the first save from Wycombe keeper Alex Lynch with a volley.

Lynch made an even better save to keep out Giuseppe Bellusci’s free-kick while he was brought into action again soon after when Erwin turned well in the box to get a shot away.

Lynch was single-handedly thwarting United as he tipped Botaka’s header onto the bar following a good cross by Doukara.

The Wycombe keeper was finally beaten on the half-hour mark when Erwin produced a calm finish from inside the area.

In the second half it was Silvestri’s turn to be in action as he pushed away a low shot, but the Whites doubled their lead as Doukara cut the ball back for Byram to smash his shot into the net to make it 2-0.

Botaka came close to adding to the lead soon after with a half-volley tipped over by Lynch then the Leeds winger did beat the keeper only to see a shot go just wide.

Young keeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell was given a run out late on for Leeds and looked solid as United saw out the remainder for their friendly win.